Job Burnout: Signs, Causes, and Prevention

Job burnout can affect anyone and at any level. How exactly do you distinguish normal work stress from job burnout? Check out the tips below! Save

Defined as a state of mental, physical, or emotional stress over a prolonged amount of time, job burnout is something that can affect anyone and at any level. Many times, the signs of job burnout are interpreted to be a feeling of disdain for the job or the employer. In some cases that may be true, but often times it’s not the whole job or the company but a few tasks, a few rules, or the environment causing excessive stress leading to burnout.

Since the downturn in the economy, many more workers are experiencing job burnout. Fortune reports that according to a survey conducted by Right Management, 92 percent of the employees they talked to had experienced higher stress levels at work since the recession. Unfortunately, this is not good news for our health as researchers have found a link between job burnout and a raised incidence rate of developing heart disease. With your health and career in the balance, how exactly do you distinguish normal work stress from job burnout? Check out the tips below!

Here are a few of the signs and causes of job burnout, as well as prevention tips and ways to handle it:

Signs of Job Burnout:

Decreased Health. This includes all areas of your health. Perhaps your sleeping is broken, you are not eating well, and you find that you are contracting colds more often. Physical health is not the only item to evaluate. Don’t forget to consider your mental health as well.

Irritability and Frustration. Are you finding that you are losing your temper with your coworkers? Maybe you are getting irritated at little issues that arise when you used to be able to move on. Frustration and irritability are sure signs of increased stress levels.

Slipping Job Performance. If your boss or coworkers have mentioned anything about your performance slipping, it could be a sign of job burnout. Slipping job performance may be a sign that you have lost interest in your job.

Decreased Satisfaction. Do you have to drag yourself into work? Or maybe you are feeling sluggish and tired at the end of the day. Dissatisfaction with your job can lead to a loss of interest in your career and eventually lead to job burnout.

Preoccupation with Work. As ironic as it sounds, if you are preoccupied with work activities when you are not at work, it could be a sign of job burnout. When you are preoccupied with work, you are unable to let yourself recover from the daily stress of work.

Causes of Job Burnout:

Overwhelming or Monotonous Tasks. Facing tasks that are overwhelming or monotonous in nature can cause stress and over time can cause job burnout.

Lack of Recognition. When you work hard and are not recognized for your efforts, over time you can feel as though you are not a valued part of the organization.

Conflicting Roles. When being pulled between work and home, it can become overwhelming trying to manage it all and keep all parties, to some extent, satisfied. The more conflicted you feel, the more stress you may carry around towards your job.

Lack of Social Interaction. Humans are social creatures. Going into work and not having a social support system can be a stress creator and emotional drainer.

Lack of Control. Everyone wants control of his or her own life. When you feel like you lack control over your work, the tasks, and your advancement opportunities, you can become dissatisfied and unhappy with the situation.

Preventing and Handling Job Burnout:

Unplug. Turn off e-mail notifications and don’t accept work calls after hours. It is easier said than done, but unplugging from work can help you feel revitalized when facing the same tasks the next morning.

Seek Balance. Do this with job tasks as well as work-life balance. Talk to your boss about mixing up your responsibilities and voice your concerns about what you are experiencing. Maybe new tasks can replace old ones creating a new situation. On a more personal note, if you are feeling that work is pulling you from home and home is pulling you from work, it may be time to find work-life balance. Don’t be afraid to talk to your boss about potentially creating a more sustainable situation.

Talk It Out. Find someone to talk to about how you are feeling about your job, your career, and your life in general. You may find there is more to how you are feeling about your job than you thought. Talking with others can also create an environment of brainstorming to help you find a resolution to the stumbling blocks you’re experiencing.

Get Healthy, Rested, and Organized. Get some sleep, get some exercise, eat nutritiously, and create a plan. When you feel good, some problems are easier to tackle than they previously were.

Move On. As a last resort, if you can’t kick the job burnout, it may be time to move on. If that is the road you are taking, FlexJobs has thousands of flexible employment opportunities listed that could lead you to your next job.